Ever After
by bnomiko
Summary: Final arc of the Life with Kai-baby and Yami-kins ficverse. A fairytale wedding for one happy couple brings friends together from around the world for a grand celebration. This is how Yu-Gi-Oh! should have ended! Mild ShonenAi. Pairings are mainly Prideshipping SetoYami and Peachshipping YugiAnzu, with a little MokubaNoa, JouMai.
1. Prologue: At the Beginning

Pairing(s): Yami + Seto, Noa + Mokuba, Yugi + Anzu, Jou + Mai, Malik + Ryou, Rafael + Valon + Amelda  
Warnings: swearing  
Disclaimer:"At the Beginning" is performed and recorded by Richard Marx. Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. This is a not-for-profit fanwork and I do not own any of these characters.

**This is a SHONEN-AI fic (male + male romantic relationship). If you are offended by homosexual relationships, please do not read this. Flames will be disregarded.**

Setup for this fic:  
- Part of the Kai-baby / Yami-kins AU. Chronologically set after "I Can't Drive 55."  
- Noa has been brought out of the virtual world, has a new body, and is living with Mokuba and Seto, and Yami has his own body and is separate from Yugi. The how and why isn't important on either of those.  
- Ages of characters at start: Seto is 25, Yami 24, Noa and Mokuba are 19.

* * *

**Ever After**

**Prologue: At the Beginning**

* * *

"Oh thank GOD the traffic wasn't worse. We're running late enough as it is!" Mokuba cried out in relief as the limo pulled up to entrance of the Domino Grand Seaside Hotel.

Seto looked out the window at the large, sprawling building, which despite its name, sat outside the city limits of Domino, on a beautifully manicured lot overlooking the Pacific Ocean. He couldn't remember for the life of him why they were there, but that didn't matter. All he knew was that it was important, they were late, and Mokuba was there with him. Whatever else he needed to know, he'd figure out along the way.

Fubeta quickly rushed to get the door for them, bowing deeply as they exited the vehicle. Isono was there too, waiting until both Kaibas were out of the car, then accompanying the pair as they swept through the front doors of the hotel, which were held open by a pair of uniformed doormen.

Seto took a moment to look around at the lobby. It was an upscale hotel, so the furnishings all looked very plush and ornate. It screamed old fashioned and old money to him, but then again he was a lover of things high tech and modern. This sort of place was only suitable for things like ladies' luncheons and honeymoons. Or… maybe some sort of company function? A location like this would probably please the shareholders. It would make them feel wealthier than they already were. And certainly he wasn't lunching with old ladies or going on a honeymoon.

"Nii-sama, come on!" Mokuba called. The younger man was already halfway down a short hallway, in front of another set of double doors, gesturing frantically to his brother with his free hand.

The doors were flanked by very large sprays of roses in red and white, with gold-edged white ribbon. Seto frowned slightly. There was text on it too but for some reason he was having a hard time making it out, the overhead lights glinting off the gold text, rendering the words impossible to read. They weren't attending someone's memorial service were they? He remembered seeing similar arrangements at his father's funeral. But that didn't seem right… they were at a hotel. And who did he know that would've wanted their memorial held at a place like this? He certainly would've remembered if something had happened to Sugoroku…

_Oh… maybe it's something like an engagement party? _Seto suddenly thought, relaxing a made sense. Anzu had been kind of hinting that she was ready to settle down and get married. Maybe Yugi had finally worked up the courage to propose to her. But why would he need to plan out a big event at a hotel with all his friends in attendance? Or… had he already proposed and they were all there to celebrate? Try as he might, the young billionaire couldn't remember if they'd gotten engaged.

Reassured that they probably weren't there for a memorial service at least, Seto nodded and strode quickly after his brother. As he walked he passed by a large mirror and caught his reflection. He was wearing an all-white tuxedo with a long white coat over it, not something appropriate for a company meeting or a memorial. And now he realized Mokuba was in a tuxedo too… why hadn't he noticed that before?

Formal charity event maybe? He really was reaching now. But that didn't jive with the flowers. And he really preferred to make donations rather than appearances; Mokuba knew that. In fact Mokuba had taken over those sorts of "duties" as part of his job; he was the public face of Kaiba Corp. now. And he was doing great at it. But maybe this was something really big and Mokuba wanted them to both make an appearance…

"Um…" was all Seto managed to get out by the time he got over to Mokuba, as he was immediately yanked through the doors.

"I guess you're a little nervous, huh?" the raven-haired man asked as he hurried his brother down yet another hallway, one decorated with candles as well as flowers. "I didn't mean you freak you out in the car. We're not _that_ late, and I'm sure everyone will understand. Besides… it can't start without you, right?"

"It? What?"

Mokuba just smiled. "It'll be fine. Don't worry!"

They finally came to a stop before another set of doors, topped with a garland of roses and more ribbon with illegible text. "All right, wait here," Mokuba said, opening the door just a crack and slipping on in before shutting it securely behind him.

Was it a surprise party? Was it his birthday? Seto frowned. Wouldn't he remember if it was his birthday?

Through the wall Seto could hear some music starting up, though he couldn't immediately place what it was. Was that a cue? Was he supposed to go in? Mokuba hadn't told him what he was waiting for.

But just as he reached for the door, it opened again, and Sugoroku stepped out, his face lighting up at the sight of the young CEO standing there. "Seto, we were beginning to wonder if you got cold feet…" the old man joked.

"Huh?" Cold feet over what? And Sugoroku, who was usually dressed in worn old overalls, was wearing a tux as well. He'd even ditched the ever-present bandana. Seto couldn't stop boggling over that.

"Are you ready?"

_What kind of birthday is this? _"Uh, yes?"

"Good. Oh dear, and I almost forgot…!" And out of nowhere, Sugoroku whipped out a large bouquet of roses and held it out to Seto.

The brunette stared him, baffled.

"Seto? Take it."

Seto slowly accepted it, feeling oddly like some beauty pageant queen. Or someone on candid camera. He looked around stupidly for a moment to see if that were the case before realizing that, of course, neither Mokuba nor Sugoroku would do something like that to him.

"All right then, NOW are you ready?"

Seto nodded. Whatever was going on was behind that door. The best way to find out was to simply walk through it.

* * *

As soon as he took one step into the decorated ballroom it finally dawned on Seto what was going on. A wedding… why hadn't that occurred to him earlier? The closest he'd gotten was considering the possibility of an engagement party.

It had to be Yugi and Anzu's wedding then. He'd have to apologize to them later for delaying the ceremony, as they'd obviously been waiting for him to usher Sugoroku to his seat or whatever – he wasn't exactly sure how wedding things went.

Sugoroku lightly touched his elbow and urged him to go on. Seto tilted his chin down to tell him he got the message, and noticed that the old man was beaming up at him, his eyes wet with unshed tears. Seto smiled at him in return; he could understand Sugoroku being overjoyed at seeing his grandson get married.

Everyone in the room was rising to their feet as the music switched to Wagner's "Bridal Chorus," and Seto straightened up and began to walk forward slowly, figuring the bridal party had to be right behind him. He wasn't sure what to do with the bouquet Sugoroku had handed him earlier – maybe Anzu just had a major thing for roses? – so he just held it in the crook of his arm as he walked. It was strange though… why was everyone looking at him instead of the bride and bridesmaids that surely were following right behind? He wanted to turn around and take a look himself to make sure there weren't any problem, but that would be poor manners, so he just kept his chin up and stared straight ahead as he marched down the aisle.

In the front of the room, flanked by even more roses and candles and accompanied by a minister or some other official, Yugi, Yami, Mokuba, and oddly enough, Noa, were watching him approach. He smiled at Yami and the ex-Pharaoh grinned back; he then gave a nod at Yugi as well. It was funny seeing Yugi in a tux… it suited him about as well as it suited his grandfather, but of course they'd look even more out of place in their normal attire. Seto found it baffling that Yugi would choose Mokuba and Noa over Jou as a groomsman, given how close the two friends were, but maybe Anzu had enough sense to talk her groom into picking more responsible friends for the position.

Speaking of Anzu, she had to be the stealthiest bride ever. Seto couldn't hear footsteps or fabric rustling or anything behind him. And here he was assuming that a girl draped in yards upon yards of crisp satin and tulle would be noisy as hell.

Finally reaching the end of the aisle, the young CEO paused, perplexed. There was probably a reserved seat for Sugoroku somewhere in the front row, but he didn't know where he was supposed to go. Was there a seat reserved for him as well? There was an uncomfortable pause while he stood there, trying to logic his way through it, but then Sugoroku gave him a very light tug and Seto realized, he was to go stand with Yami. So that made him a groomsman then, and not an usher?

Dilemma resolved, Seto stepped up to the open spot on Yami's left side, and then much to his surprise, the music tapered off as the guests began sitting down and the rest of the wedding party turned around to face the minister.

_Okay, call me crazy, but I don't see the bride. Am I the only one to notice this? _Seto thought as he surreptitiously glanced left and right. The only people standing there were the ones he previously noted; there wasn't anyone remotely resembling a bride.

_Wait… are Noa and Mokuba getting married!? WHAT?_ It wasn't that he personally objected to it. But he didn't remember them getting engaged or anything. The mere thought that he'd forget about anything that important horrified him.

_Seto, what's wrong? _Yami asked, his voice always a calming balm on Seto's thoughts. Better yet, Yami had to know what was going on.

_Yami, um… well, just humor me, okay? Whose wedding is this? Where's the bride?_

The crimson-eyed man turned and just stared at him, incredulously. _Seto? YOU'RE the bride. It's OUR wedding…_

* * *

Seto violently jerked awake, breathing harshly, visions of romantic candlelight and red and white roses still haunting him. Immediately he turned to the spiky-haired man lying by his side and screamed, "I WILL NEVER BE YOUR BRIDE, YAMI! NEVER!" and then flopped back on the bed and went back to sleep.

Yami was a deep sleeper, but being screamed at woke him up instantly, and he sat up with a start, groggily blinking and looking around as he tried to figure out what was going on. As the words slowly filtered into his sleep addled mind, all he could think was, _Did Seto just say, "Bride?"_

* * *

Author's Notes:_  
_- Poor Seto. At least I refrained from putting him in drag? Actually I couldn't see him dreaming himself into a dress, even as the bride, and it would've been too much of a tip off as to the punchline of the dream. I hope the bouquet was enough of a nod to bridal without going overboard.  
- Incidentally - and I want to make this clear since I can see how maybe this dream scene might be misleading - Seto and Yami aren't going to be the ones getting married in this arc. Sorry to disappoint, if that's what any readers were hoping for. But Seto made it clear in previous stories / arcs that he doesn't believe in it, and he's sticking to that...


	2. Ch 1: With This Ring

Disclaimer:Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. This is a not-for-profit fanwork and I do not own any of these characters.

* * *

**Ever After**

**Ch 1: With This Ring**

* * *

"Not a _word_, Yami," Seto said again as he and Yami stood waiting in front of Uptown Fine Jewelers, known widely by their ads as "Domino's number one engagement ring store." They were there to meet up with Yugi, who'd finally decided to pull the trigger and propose to Anzu, and was looking for the perfect ring to do so with.

The crimson-eyed man smiled broadly. He wondered if there was a correlation between what was happening today, and what had happened last night. He knew Seto would rather he forget about being awakened in the very early hours of the morning by screams of "I'll never be your bride!" but it really was too funny. Seto had to know he wasn't going to share that with anyone. But that didn't mean Yami couldn't rib him about it a little bit.

"I know, you would've preferred it if I'd been the bride," Yami said with a heavy sigh.

"I would NOT," Seto growled, though he couldn't stop his brain from popping up the image of Yami in a long white gown, with a veil and everything. He had no idea why it was doing that. He hadn't even dreamed _himself _into a dress. It was just so, so wrong…

"That's good to know. And you know… I'm just kidding with you. Of course I won't tell a soul about it," Yami reminded him just as he spotted the familiar golden yellow Lamborghini SUV pulling into the parking lot. He waved at it. The vehicle went by, around the corner, to the very rear of the parking lot, where there were plenty of open spaces. As always, Yugi seemed paranoid about damaging his grandfather's very expensive ride. Or perhaps, he was a little embarrassed by it as well…

Seto grunted affirmatively. He didn't know why the dream was sticking in his mind so much anyhow. And if Yami was going to share the story with anyone, it'd be with Yugi, but one look at the short duelist now approaching them pretty much proved what he already knew; there was nothing in Yugi's demeanor that indicated that he'd heard anything about it. He looked a little nervous, which was expected given what was on his mind, but was otherwise his usual pleasant self.

"Hey, Kaiba. I wasn't expecting you to join us! Thanks for coming with," Yugi said in greeting. He paused to give Yami a quick, friendly hug, and Seto glowered a little at him. "So we're just waiting on Mai and Shizuka I guess?"

"They're already here, inside. They wanted to take a look around," Seto informed Yugi as he wrapped both arms around Yami and pulled him tight against his body, as if his boyfriend were a cat that'd been trying to escape or something.

Yugi held his tongue. Yami seemed to enjoy being fussed over like a prized possession, so he wasn't going to point out how unreasonable or over the top Seto's jealousy was. "Guess we should head in as well then?" he said instead, heading for the doors.

As soon as they stepped into the store, salespeople descended on them like vultures. Not surprisingly all their attention was on Seto, who even without his notoriety certainly looked the part of a successful businessman with plenty of cash to blow. He was in a suit, with a tailored wool Burberry coat over it, whereas Yugi was in an old tournament T-shirt, with a flannel shirt and denim jacket pulled over it, and worn jeans.

"Welcome! What can I help you with?" the quickest saleswoman asked, much to the chagrin of her slower coworkers. She'd seen the silver Ferrari pull up in the parking lot and a Lamborghini go by as well, and had made sure to position herself as close to the door as possible.

Seto frowned slightly at the woman, who reminded him of a hyena. "Don't look at me. He's the one shopping," he said, pointing at Yugi, as Mai and Shizuka came over to join them as well.

"Oh!" the woman exclaimed, looking down at the spiky-haired "kid" behind him. Wasn't the friend a little young to be shopping for engagement rings? Well, some people did marry right out of high school she supposed… "Yes, of course. What can I help you with, young man?"

"I'm just here to look at engagement rings," Yugi replied pleasantly. He could practically hear Yami's teeth grinding from the way the saleswoman was treating him, but Yugi didn't think it was a big deal. He was used to people underestimating him. At times, it even became an advantage – in this case, he figured he was guaranteed that the saleswoman wouldn't try to push bigger and more expensive rings on him. Besides, he thought it a far bigger hassle to be someone like Seto, who had to constantly worry about his image.

"I see – congratulations! As you may know, we're Domino's number one engagement ring store," the woman babbled as she began leading Yugi towards some of the displays. Seto rolled his eyes but followed along with the others as the saleslady gave them a quick walkthrough of the store, pointing out rings in various display cases while machine gunning questions and terminology at Yugi, until his head swam at the thought of karats versus carats.

After the tour wrapped up, the girls and Yugi chose a starting point and began browsing in earnest. Seto drifted to the back of the group and continued nodding along as if he were listening to the discussion. He really had no interest, not caring for this sort of excess. Cars or computers he could understand, but jewelry was pretty pointless. Wasn't there a better way of proving to a woman that you cared for her than shoving a scrap of metal and stone onto her finger?

_You've never complained when I've looked at jewelry…_ Yami pointed out. _You've even bought me some yourself._

Seto shrugged, eyeing the ever-present collar adorning his boyfriend's throat. So he had. But he liked to think of that as a "hands off" sign.

_Aren't wedding rings the same sort of thing? "She's mine, back off?"_ Yami asked, softly chuckling aloud.

The taller man merely snorted.

_You sure are cranky when you're hungry, Baby,_ Yami added.

_I'm not,_ Seto vaguely responded.

_Don't worry, this shouldn't take too long. Everyone's on lunch break and Yugi's aware of that. I doubt he'd choose something this quickly anyhow._

"I didn't know you cared about stuff like this, Kaiba," Mai said, inadvertently interrupting their conversation with her own thoughts as she casually perused the displays. Though she was there to help Yugi, she didn't plan on suggesting any rings to him. She wanted him to make his picks before she piped in with any advice, not that she really had much to give. Now that she was married, and a mother, life's shinier things had lost their luster a bit. But Yugi and Anzu had a much more traditional relationship, and she knew he wanted to do things "properly," which was fine. And like the typical guy, he had no clue what he was even looking for. All he'd said was that he didn't think he wanted something big or flashy, because Anzu wasn't that type of girl. He sure was right about that… Mai remembered window shopping with her before and laughing when Anzu had rolled her eyes at expensive rings littered with large stones, saying that they were gaudy.

Seto cocked an eyebrow at the blonde woman. "I don't care. I'm here because Yami's here."

Yami immediately punched him in the arm. "Seto…" he sighed. "Really, he just wants lunch."

"Because it's Friday," Seto retorted, making it clear what he thought of the inconvenience caused to him by Yugi's choice of days. "And the old man gets on my case if I don't eat," he added, as an extra little jab. Not that he cared as much about lunch as he did spending the hour with Yami. It was one of the things he looked forward to at the end of every work week. But it sounded a better if he pointed out it was lunchtime instead of saying that he simply wanted to be with Yami, considering he saw plenty of Yami after work everyday. He didn't want it to seem like he was needy or anything.

Yugi looked over and gave a wry grin. If anyone else had said it, it would've been a bit offensive, but with Seto, it was just him being his usual straightforward self. "Sorry. I just figured this was the best time to get both Mai and Shizuka to come with."

Seto shrugged, then glanced back over at his boyfriend. Yami had already wandered back to the men's section to browse the bands on display. Seto wondered what he was thinking about. Was Yugi's pending engagement making Yami wish for more out of their relationship, or was he simply window shopping?

_Do you want something?_ the brunette carefully asked, trying to make it sound casual. It was entirely possible that he was overthinking it – after all Yami did like things like jewelry and clothing, because that was how he celebrated his uniqueness, his individuality, even though it had been years since he'd gained his freedom from the Puzzle. Sometimes he overdid it a little – he'd gotten his ears pierced twice in the past year and would've probably gotten more, until Seto pointed out that he didn't care for nibbling on a mouthful of metal – but for the most part Seto liked the way Yami expressed himself.

The ex-spirit smiled slightly at the question. _These are all wedding bands. What would I do with one?_

_How should I know?_

Seto never got the chance to restate his previous question though, because they were suddenly interrupted by Shizuka's breathy sigh and her exclamation of, "Yugi, that's so pretty!" from a few displays away. Both Seto and Yami looked over at the sound.

"Oh, that's an excellent choice. The diamond makes it traditional, but the side stones set it apart and make it stand out. And see how they're set with a lower profile? That plus the rounded shank will make it more comfortable and practical for everyday wear," the saleswoman babbled even though no one asked for her feedback.

Yugi gave her a slight smile, then turned back to his friends. "You guys think she'd like it?" He held the ring up to get a closer look. It was a white gold band with a brilliant cut diamond held by a heart shaped prong setting, flanked by five petite sapphires on either side. It was simple, delicate and sweet, but a little unconventional too.

"I think it would suit her perfectly," Shizuka said firmly.

"I agree. I could see her wearing it," Mai concurred. It was just a tad too girly-girl for her own tastes – and that was saying something – but Anzu, despite her tendency towards tomboyish behavior at times, was a true romantic at heart. And Yugi was probably thinking the sapphires reminded him of her eyes. Blue eyed brunettes… that seemed to be a preference that he and Yami shared.

"What do you think, Yami?" Yugi asked as the former Pharaoh rejoined them with Seto in tow.

"It's pretty. And not too fussy. The sapphires are my favorite part."

"I think… this might be the one," Yugi sighed thoughtfully as he rolled the band between his fingers one last time. Truth be told he didn't think he'd find the perfect ring so easily, but the moment he saw this one, he began dreaming about the proposal. He imagined himself getting down on one knee after a candlelit dinner at a romantic restaurant, thought of how it would sparkle as he slid it onto her finger, moments before she threw her arms around his neck, crying out his name. "It really is perfect, isn't it? Oh, but now the scary part…" He flipped up the price tag. _One thousand, four hundred and ninety-five… _Well, at least it wasn't the most expensive ring in the store; he knew it could've been much worse. But it was still a bit more than he'd bargained for – the thousand dollars or so that he'd saved up the past couple of months wasn't going to cut it. He wondered if paying it off on a credit card would be the best option, or if financing through the store was better. While he wasn't destitute, he wasn't so well off that he could just drop a thousand dollars easily. He did have money in an emergency fund, and more put aside for the eventual honeymoon and even a bit for a scooter or a small car of his own, but he didn't want to dip into those funds unless he absolutely needed to. And if he paid off the credit card quickly enough then the interest wouldn't be an issue at least...

Seto's eyes narrowed as Yugi took his time sorting through his thoughts. The brunette wondered what the hold up was. Did Yugi want to get married or not? If he liked the ring, he needed to just bite the bullet and buy it. Or was he planning on waiting another six years? Seto was about to tell him to hurry up when he noticed Yugi taking another peek at the little price tag. Seto's eyes narrowed; he recognized that look… Yugi was crunching numbers in his head. _So that's the problem? _"Do you need a loan or something?" Seto asked, and everyone turned to stare at him. "What?"

Yugi blinked at the taller man. "Huh?"

Seto raised an eyebrow and nodded a little at the ring. "I said, I can loan you money if you need it."

"Oh, um… no, it's ok. I'll manage," Yugi said quickly once he'd gotten over his initial surprise. He appreciated what the young billionaire was attempting to do, but this was something he had take care of on his own. If he wasn't man enough to handle buying a ring, then he wasn't man enough to be proposing either. It was why he'd taken so long in making his move; he known from the start that he wanted Anzu as his wife. But he didn't want to take that step until he was in a position to be a good husband to her. He'd seen how much of a struggle it had been for Jounouchi and Mai after they'd gotten married on impulse.

"Suit yourself. Just do me a favor and hurry up and buy it then," Seto snapped, checking his watch. At this rate he was tempted to just skip lunch and go straight to "dessert." Yami was wearing far too many clothes for his liking, even if it was cold outside.

"_Seto…_" Yami snarled, both at the comment and at the mental image his lover was projecting. The brunette smirked.

Yugi just shook his head and smiled. He turned to the saleswoman, who at least had the presence of mind to stand there quietly while he'd thought about it. "All right, I've decided. I'm going to get it. And you two," and he nodded at Seto and Yami, "are welcome to get out of here and go have lunch. Or if you're willing to wait a few minutes, we can all go together."

"Aibou, that would be wonderful," Yami replied, ignoring Seto tugging at his elbow. _You can live with it… it'd be nice to have lunch with everyone today. I'm sure Yugi wants to talk about his ideas for the proposal and such._

Seto shrugged. _Whatever._

_This is a big deal for him. And I'm going to do whatever I can to help, so be nice! Or at least grin and bear it. _

Seto did just that, grinning with no other sign of interest on his face. It was actually pretty funny, and Yami had to fight to keep himself from laughing out loud at it. He managed to tone it down to an amused sigh, then turned back to Yugi, who was giving him a look that said he could guess the contents of the conversation that just transpired. "Lunch together would be great," Yami said, grinning broadly himself. Only he actually meant it.

"Yeah, great," Seto echoed with a roll of his eyes.

Yugi laughed. "That's awesome. Because, you know, I was just thinking about the proposal…"

* * *

Author's Notes:  
- I spent a lot of time wondering how much Yugi would spend on an engagement ring (and looking for inspiration to create one that I thought would suit Anzu!) as they can go from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars. But I see both Yugi and Anzu as practical people, so I think a moderately priced ring would be about right. Money, of course, does not equal love. Though I kept tweaking the amount, even at the very last minute...


	3. Ch 2: On Bended Knee

Disclaimer: "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free " is performed and recorded by Sting. "Single Ladies" is performed and recorded by Beyoncé. Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. This is a not-for-profit fanwork and I do not own any of these characters.

* * *

**Ever After**

**Ch 2: On Bended Knee**

* * *

Seto hadn't been expecting any guests when he came home from work a couple of weeks before Christmas, though he knew if he'd said that out loud, Yami would quickly chide him that Yugi wasn't a "guest."

"So what's going on?" the brunette asked as he loosened his tie, tossing it onto the bed. He couldn't remember the last time anyone outside of the family – besides his trusted housekeeper – had been in his bedroom. It was a little strange, even if it was just Yugi.

"I'm trying to help Yugi finalize his outfit for his big dinner date," Yami replied as he wandered by. He disappeared into the closet for a moment, then came out with two overcoats as well as a few ties. He dropped the ties onto the bed and held up the coats. "Aibou, do you like either of these?"

Seto raised an eyebrow as Yugi examined the coats and picked a likely candidate. "So you're trying to make him look like you? And you don't think that's weird?"

"How so? I offered to lend him a dress coat and maybe a tie." Yami paused to help Yugi into the chosen coat, then fussed with it a little to make it hang better. They were nearly the same size but Yugi was slightly shorter and a tiny bit heavier. "There's no point in him buying those when he probably won't get much use out of them."

Seto assessed the little duelist more critically. Yugi was wearing what was probably his only suit, a plain black number, and an equally nondescript white dress shirt. He already had on a tie, a rather tacky looking thing with colorful hieroglyphics on it, which Seto vaguely remembered having seen before. _God, we really should tell him to burn that tie…_

Yami's eyes crinkled in amusement. _Why do you think I'm trying to offer him some of mine? _

Seto snorted and turned his attention back to Yugi. He could sense the other man's nervousness the way a shark could detect blood in the water. He figured the real reason Yugi had stopped over was because he wanted reassurance: he was finally going to propose to his girlfriend of five years, Anzu Mazaki. It was making the normally calm, collected man jittery as hell. But Yugi had to know that proposing was a mere formality; of course she'd agree to marry him. So Seto tried to be encouraging by pointing that out. "Don't know why you're so nervous, it's not like she'd say no…"

Yugi's eyes got even bigger than normal. Yami's head whipped around and he smacked Seto on the arm. "Don't say that!"

"What? It's true. She won't say no! Why would she?"

_Yes, I KNOW that but… look, you need to think before you talk sometimes,_ Yami said, exasperated. Seto was so dense sometimes! Did he really think he was making Yugi feel better by saying – and repeating - the exact word that he was most afraid of hearing? The former Pharaoh sighed loudly. _Just… don't say things like that. It doesn't help._

Seto glared at Yami a moment before exploding. _Fine, whatever! It's not like I care about it anyhow!_ he snapped back before stomping out of the room, ignoring the fact that it was his bedroom to begin with.

Yami winced and immediately began thinking up an apology, even though he was still standing there with Yugi, with a coat draped over his arm. Seto had been trying to help, in his own awkward way; Yami was the one who'd overreacted, immediately going into defensive mode, just because it was Yugi on the receiving end of Seto's comments.

"You aren't going to go after him?"

Yami turned back and saw his other half staring back at him. Although Yugi hadn't heard what Seto had said, he'd obviously figured out that there'd been an argument of some sort. Yami grimaced. The last thing Yugi needed was to worry about something like that when he already had so much on his mind. So the ex-spirit quickly explained, "I'll catch up to him later and apologize. He's mad, but he's not _that_ mad, you know? Plus, he tends to be a little testy anyhow with when he's fresh out of the office."

Yugi didn't really know, but he automatically nodded along anyway before quietly admitting, "He's probably right. I know I'm being paranoid. But… I want this to be absolutely perfect. This is the most important thing I've ever planned and I only get one shot at pulling it off. It's not like a duel between friends where I can just reshuffle the cards and try again."

Yami relaxed a little, smiling slightly at the dueling analogy. "I know, Aibou. And if Seto were in your shoes he'd be a complete wreck. He's just not thinking about it that way."

Yugi nodded again, then looked down at his hands and began fidgeting a bit. "Say, Yami… I know this is a weird time to ask, but um… is that something you'd want? I've been kinda wondering, you know. Since my mind's been on the subject I mean…"

"You mean, would I want to get married?"

"Yeah…"

Yami shrugged. Truthfully he was pretty neutral on the matter. If he thought that that was what Seto wanted, if Seto were to ask him, of course he'd say yes, but at the same time, he was also fine with things staying the way they were.

"I'm not against it. But it's not something I'm actively looking for either. Does that make sense?" Yami asked.

"I… guess. It's just hard for me to think that way. I mean, I love Anzu. And I know you love Kaiba. But as happy as I am to have Anzu as my girlfriend, I can't wait to make her my wife."

"You are my best friend, my partner… but Seto is and will always be, my one and only lover. Our feelings for each other have endured for over 3,000 years. I have bared both body and soul to him, thrown open the doors to my heart and my mind… and he has responded in kind, showing me a level of trust that he didn't even know he was capable of." Yami smirked in satisfaction. Even though he still needed to sort things out with Seto, just thinking about the connection he shared with his lover made him feel that much more secure in their relationship. "Considering all of that, I don't think a change in title will make much difference."

"Well, when you put it that way…" Yugi smiled. He wished he could make speeches like that about Anzu, but all he could think to say was that he loved her deeply and couldn't imagine being with anyone else. It was that simple for him.

Yugi brushed his hands over his pockets, feeling the outline of the ring under his fingers. True, he was going to be nervous until the moment she said "yes" but he knew, that was what he wanted, and it was about time. And speaking of time…

He rolled his shoulders a few times – the coat seemed to fit well enough - then nodded. "I better get going. And thanks for the coat; I think it'll work."

"Here, take a tie too," Yami said, holding up several for Yugi's consideration. When the little duelist gave him a funny look, Yami shrugged. "It's just a suggestion."

"Is this really that bad?" Yugi asked, looking down at his tie. It was barely visible under the Puzzle. He supposed it looked a little corny compared to something a Kaiba Corp. executive would wear, but then again, he wasn't a businessman, and he wasn't Kaiba… "Well, I like it… and besides, it's the one I wore on our first date. So it's sorta like a good luck charm."

Yami grinned. "I suppose, though I don't think you need it. You're the best person I know, Aibou. You won her heart just by being yourself."

Yugi flushed slightly. "Wow, thanks, Yami," he mumbled, shyly accepting the compliment. It made him feel better about his plans for the evening. Still, he couldn't resist adding, "Though a little luck never hurts, right?"

Yami let loose a short laugh. "I suppose not!" Then his tone became a little more serious as he asked, "Would it make you feel better if I were to wish you luck as well, then?"

"Hmm, maybe."

"Well then, good luck! You can do it!" Yami encouraged.

Yugi giggled. "Thanks, that's what I needed! Oh, but promise me you'll make up with Kaiba as soon as I leave…"

"I will, I will." Not waiting for Yugi to start fretting all over again, Yami immediately began pushing him out the door. "Now get going – she's waited long enough for this day!"

Yugi left with a wave and a slightly nervous smile gracing his face.

* * *

Finding Seto was the easy part, even without a mind link. He was "working" in the formal office on the first floor, the one he rarely used and only kept around for appearance's sake. It was a little funny that that was his refuge, but even though work was Seto's main stressor, it was also his sanctuary. Yami padded in on quiet feet, stealing up behind his boyfriend and gently wrapping an arm around stiff shoulders.

"He left?" Seto asked, his eyes never leaving his computer screen, though Yami could see him using it like a mirror to stare back at him.

"Yes. I'm sorry, Seto."

"Oh?"

Yami lightly kissed the back of his lover's head. "I shouldn't have scolded you. I know you weren't trying to give Yugi a hard time, but I reacted like you were." The ex-spirit sighed. "He doesn't need me to protect him anymore, not like that."

Seto finally turned away from his computer to gauge Yami's expression. Yami met Seto's gaze head on, sincerity shining in his crimson eyes. That was something the brunette always liked: Yami never shied away from anything. If he made a mistake, he'd own up to it.

"I know you'll always be Yugi's protector. But I won't ever do anything to hurt him again. You should know that," Seto finally said.

"I do. But I'm not reasonable when it comes to Yugi. Or to you."

Seto grunted. He wasn't really that mad… he'd cooled off a bit since he'd stormed off. And though Yami's rebuke had stung, more than anyone, Seto understood why Yami had reacted as he did. He was the same way with Mokuba, even though his youngest brother was now an adult and pretty darn self-sufficient to boot. Besides, Yami's apology had been heartfelt. There was no need to drag things out when in the end, it really hadn't been that big of a deal to begin with.

"So am I forgiven then?" Yami asked quietly.

Seto reached up and lightly rested his hand on Yami's arm. He drew in a breath, holding it momentarily. Years ago, he would've held on to his resentment. He would've questioned if being in a relationship was such a good idea.

… Years ago, he'd been a fool.

"I can't stay mad at you, not for long. Not anymore. You know that," Seto admitted.

Yami smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah, really."

Yami visibly relaxed at that, then after a moment's thought crawled up onto Seto's lap. His smile turned a bit wicked as he traced a finger down the side of his lover's face. "Then, I'll make it up to you with a special treat tonight."

Seto smirked. "Why wait 'til tonight?" he asked, mimicking the motion, ending with his thumb on Yami's lower lip, catching on it slightly.

Yami momentarily sucked on the pad of the thumb, his eyes fixed on Seto's face, even as he slid off his boyfriend's lap and dropped to the floor to kneel down between his thighs…

Seto didn't need Yami to "make it up to him." But he certainly wasn't going to turn down his offer either. It wasn't because of the promise of sexual pleasure, though that was always a nice "bonus." He relished the closeness, the reassurance of Yami's touch, the knowledge that he was desired. That was something no amount of money could buy.

Seto leaned back in his chair and shut his eyes as confident, skilled fingers began playing over fly on his trousers. It was starting to look like it'd be a very good night.

* * *

Mokuba and Noa called home to say they'd decided to eat out, so dinner ended up being a quiet, intimate affair with just the two older members of the household at the table. They polished off what they could, then Yami packed away the leftovers and joined Seto in the game room to "play" a little Legends of Duel Monsters and unwind.

They weren't really gaming. Seto always delighted in the opportunity to drop the ban hammer on misbehaving players in his MMORPG, especially since Mokuba wasn't around to stop him. He was also keeping his eye on ranked raid progression as well as the preliminary rounds for an upcoming in-game card tournament. To most people it would seem like a lot to be keeping track of, but for Seto, it was his idea of a relaxed evening.

"You sure you don't want a sip?" Yami asked, lifting his nearly empty wineglass in Seto's direction. He'd developed something of a taste for sweet drinks – cocktails, spiked coffees… his latest interest was dessert wines. He liked having a glass every now and then towards the end of dinner, then nursed it the remainder of the evening.

"I'm fine. It's your thing anyhow," the young CEO replied. He rarely drank, not liking the way alcohol dulled his mind and senses when he wanted them to stay sharp at all times. But he wasn't entirely opposed to imbibing via mind link, because he did have control over that. Not that he could bring himself to ever fully shut Yami out.

Yami shrugged and took another sip, then looked back over at Seto and smiled, his eyes unfocused. The alcohol was adding to the effect; it was no longer easy to tell when he was linking to Yugi, unless one knew what to look for.

"Shall I give you a play by play?" Yami asked.

"No." But Seto swiveled his chair to the side and motioned at his lap until the shorter man sauntered over and plopped himself down on his new seat, wriggling around until he was comfortable. "I don't care what he's doing," Seto added as he wrapped his arms around Yami's waist and settled in for storytime. He knew he was going to get to hear all about it, regardless if he wanted to or not.

"It's a little like watching TV," Yami said, laughing softly. He relaxed against his lover and polished off the glass.

"Does he mind? He knows you're watching, right?"

"Of course not. And of course."

Seto snorted. Knowing Yugi, it probably made him feel a bit better knowing that Yami was literally watching over him from behind his shoulder.

"… He took her to that restaurant that we took them to, you 'member?" Yami began.

"Well, we've fed them many times…"

Yami frowned. "The first one… The one they had their first date," he clarified.

Seto vaguely remembered some place French, and pricey. Seemed appropriate enough for a proposal, or at least that's what movies would have him believe. It wasn't something he'd ever put much thought into before.

The former Pharaoh started to babble about what the other couple had enjoyed for appetizers and entrees and how Yugi wasn't sure what to do with all the wine that came with the wine flight, especially since he didn't want to be stumbling over his words when the moment came. And Anzu – lovely in a burgundy dress, her hair in a low chignon - didn't seem interested in sampling any of it, so maybe he shouldn't have ordered it? Though it had been part of his plan… The ring would be delivered with dessert, tied with a ribbon around the stem of a wineglass, because it would've been a bad idea to hide it in the dessert itself and risk her choking on it…

Seto nodded along, wondering if Yugi's inebriation was affecting Yami too, but was otherwise not terribly concerned with the details. Yami seemed really into it though, growing more animated by the minute, and Seto began to wonder… was there something he was trying to tell him?

"Hey, Yami?"

"Huh?"

"Did you ever think about…" Seto began, before pausing to try and think of the best way to phrase things. The last time he'd tried, he hadn't really gotten around to zeroing in on the target. He just had to be direct, and that was that. "I know we've kinda talked about it before, or not really, at least not recently, I suppose, but… well, are you really okay with never getting married?"

Seto made a face as soon as the words tumbled out. Boy, had that come out badly! But Yami had turned and was staring at him and giving it some consideration. He looked a little more serious than usual, probably due to the fact that he really had to concentrate to formulate a proper response.

""Course I am. And I know you don't buy into it; you never have."

"I don't. Marriage has nothing to do with love; traditionally it was a way to form political or familial alliances, to maintain or improve one's social and economic status, to ensure parentage and upbringing of heirs. Even today it remains a matter of legal contracts…"

"Not here and now. Not for two men," Yami mumbled.

Seto stopped his dissertation on the history of marriage and immediately switched gears to more modern matters. "I don't want our relationship to become some political rallying point, but if that is what it'd take to ensure your happiness, then I would do it. I would push and push until the damn laws were changed, even if I had to lobby and petition and bribe every official in this city, in this country. For you, I would change the world."

The shorter duelist was almost stunned into sobriety by the conviction in Seto's words. His boyfriend had made it clear many times that he had no interest in marriage. He only saw it as a contract, like the ones he dealt with all day, every day – a legal document, like the ones that had bound him to his aunt and uncle and then to Gozaburo - yet, if Yami said the word, Seto would marry him, without reservation. All because he wanted to make him happy.

"Kai-baby… I don't need it. If I thought it was what you wanted, I would be honored to accept… or I would've even proposed to you already. But I think love, family – those aren't things that can be built on a piece of paper. It's only the feelings that count, not some document."

Seto snorted. "Given how hard people cling onto the notion, you'd think the 'piece of paper' was all that mattered."

"Well… I don't care what those other people think."

"Me neither. I love you, Yami," Seto responded fiercely, as if they were dueling.

Those three little words were a vow that no one else was meant to hear. Yami smiled. He didn't need the blessings of a judge or a religious leader, nor a certificate or a ceremony, to confirm what he already knew. Even before Seto had legally bound them into a family by giving Yami co-guardianship status over his brothers, they'd been fully committed to one another, their hearts as intertwined as their minds and emotions. Boyfriend, lover, husband… the label didn't matter; there were no words sufficient to describe just how much Seto meant to him. _How does the song go? If you love someone, set them free…_

_If you liked it, then you shoulda put a ring on it,_ Seto shot back.

Yami laughed, delighted that Seto knew enough pop culture to make a comeback like that. "After six years, I would think you'd know me well enough: I'm not interested in tying you down. Just tying you up. And the only ring I want to use on you…" Abruptly he trailed off, to Seto's disappointment.

"And the only ring…" the billionaire prompted, seeing crimson eyes haze over.

"The ring… Oh gods, Yugi's finally done it! I'm so happy for him!" Yami blurted out. "Gods, I can still feel him shaking. He said it went so perfect he couldn't believe it; it was like a scene from a movie. He dropped down on one knee, took her hand, and asked her to marry him just as the waiters delivered the desserts and the ring. Anzu started crying and saying yes over and over, and people at nearby tables were clapping for them…"

"Okay, really? One second you're telling me how you're going to tie me up and now you've forgotten all about it?" Seto scolded, though he made an effort to keep his tone light so that it was clear – he was just kidding. He was glad that Yugi had finally proposed. There wasn't anyone more suited to living an idyllic married life with the stereotypical "girl next door" than Yugi.

"… I can still tie you up, you know," Yami bit back, his brow arching.

Seto smirked. He could feel his pulse already starting to quicken a little. He was glad Yami didn't share Yugi's pedestrian tastes at all. _You promise? _

_Always and forever, Baby._

* * *

Author's Notes:  
- Wanted to make a note on the housekeeper since I hadn't before, though she's been mentioned a couple of times through the various arcs. Seto released most of his mansion staff shortly before the start of the first story of my series, but given the size of the estate it'd make sense that he'd have to keep a few under employment, even if not on a round-the-clock basis. The housekeeper throughout my stories is the unnamed maid in the manga, who we see in about five panels right before and after Seto wakes from his coma during Duelist Kingdom. She had helped care for him during that time and chased after him when he was leaving to save Mokuba. On his way to DK Seto also noted that Mokuba left important information with her because she was the only one in the entire house that he trusted. For a minor, nameless character, that really stuck with me. I even considered giving her a side chapter of some sort, but I didn't have enough to say to make a real chapter out of it.  
- Seto's dislike of marriage in no way reflects my own beliefs. I just think that, for someone who has had so much of his early personal and business life dictated by legal documents and contracts, he'd want to avoid those sorts of things as much as possible in his private affairs. Granted, he did end up giving Yami guardianship rights over his then minor brothers, which might seem contradictory, but I could see Seto justifying that in a win-win sort of way. It not only protected his brothers' interests but also solidified Yami's position as a trusted family member.


End file.
